Fact-checking the Freeman

If you've visited the Freeman's website today, you might have noticed this new little box to the right.

That's right. We want you to help us (I'm pointing at you right now, look behind you).

Still, I can't help but feel that if there was a conversation about this new feature between a fictitious and snarky Freeman reader and an equally snarky and fictitious (maybe) Freeman editor, it would probably go like this:

READER: What? Don't you people get paid to do this?

EDITOR: Yes. But we want you to help us be better, because 45,000 people are better than seven and a half editors (the half editor is only legs). And, WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'YOU PEOPLE'?

READER: But who checks the fact-checkers?

EDITOR: We do. But we are trying to crowd-source with our readers to improve the Freeman's news coverage - and to figure out what "crowd-sourcing" means.

READER: You are just trying to pass your work to us, aren't you?

EDITOR: No. But we are trying to enhance and improve upon the coverage you demand every day. We're not perfect and we know we make mistakezzzzz. We're human, after all and ... THIS PROGRAM HAS PERFORMED AN ILLEGAL OPERATION AND WILL BE SHUT DOWN.THIS PROGRAM HAS PERFORMED AN ILLEGAL OPERATION AND WILL BE SHUT DOWN. THIS PROGRAM HAS PERFORMED AN ILLEGAL OPERATION AND WILL BE SHUT DOWN....

* A Study Abroad SUNY New Paltz student is in Wales, so he talks about some TV shows.

...

PERSONAL NOTE: The three of you who follow me on Twitter already know that I'm spending some time at the newsroom of the New Haven Register - where you can read "Hooters waitress files lawsuit - says she lost weight." I'm pretending that I'm helping upgrade the Daily Freeman's editorial system as we enter a new era (did you know there's a thing called The Internets? Wild stuff).

Don't vote for Kingston (because you can't)

Well, apparently, Kingstonians didn't either, as the city didn't make the final list for voting at GoogleFiber.com, the unofficial page for all things Google Fiber." The public poll (Round II started May 7, you guys!) by the site doesn't include the first capital of New York. Or Woodstock. Or Saugerties.

I won't tell the Kingston Digital Corridor if you don't.UPDATE: They were told. The folks from the Kingston Digital Corridor have been aware of the site for weeks, I'm told - and "it's solely about traffic and not legit," so I stand corrected.

So the city is not officially out. But given the interest kept by other communities, I sense that Kingston needs to pump up its efforts.

The Kingston Digital Corridor is meeting at Keegan Ales, 20 Saint James St., Kingston, at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

Mid-Hudson Valley blogging-heads

* Kingston Alderman Bill Reynolds doesn't know how to spell "and" in his announcement that city greenbacks for the Andretta Pool and Kingston Point Beach have been restored. That's good news. Once again, you'll be able to swim in other people's pee. WIN!

* Rebecca Martin at KingstonCitizens.org talks about a "City Gardens Coalition" or "Coalición Ciudad Jardín Conjunto," which actually translates to Coalition of the Garden City Band. But "A" for esfuerzo (If you need to know, that's "A," in Spanish).

* Ethan Barnett posts a video of a band with a name I can't pronounce. For the record, I also can't pronounce "juice." I'm told it sounds like "jews," which sounds pretty weird. Example: "Who drank my jews?"

Kingston, the hot spot

As mentioned previously, The folks at the Kingston Digital Corridor are producing a Hot Spot map of the city's, um, hot spots, highlighting the venues and locations in and around the city that provide a series of magical waves that go into your computer to let you watch porn, or whatever it is that you're into, you pervert.

The map is still in its infancy, but it is growing. And it will get better - with your help. So if you know of a hot spot, let them know, and they’ll put the venue in the map and get them a sticker, shown at right.